The Spliced Line of Authority

Many ropes are formed of three cords spiraled around each other. If such a rope is broken or cut, the cords can unravel, but the rope can be fixed by interweaving the cords from one end or the rope with the cords of the other end of the rope. Through splicing, a broken rope can be remade.

Those who hold the Priesthood sometimes speak of being able to trace their "line of authority" back to God Himself, proving that the authority they have comes, indirectly, from God. The line began with God, who gave Jesus Christ the authority to speak and act for Him while He, Jesus, was on the earth. With that authority, Jesus Christ ordained Apostles and gave them the authority to bestow the Priesthood on others. Theoretically, had their been enough righteous candidates to worthily receive and carry the Priesthood and pass it on to others, the line of authority started by Jesus Christ at the meridian of time could well have lasted until the end of time.

Unfortunately, that's not what happened. After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ, the church began to flounder. "Some members taught ideas from their old pagan or Jewish beliefs instead of the simple truths taught by Jesus" (Gospel Principles, Chapter 16). The Lord's Apostles tried to keep the early Christians on the straight and narrow path, but there were only a few of them and communication was slow. Rumors and falsehoods spread faster than correcting truth. "In addition, there was persecution from outside the Church. Church members were tortured and killed for their beliefs. One by one, the Apostles were killed or otherwise taken from the earth" (Gospel Principles, Chapter 16). When the last of the Apostles were taken from the earth, they took their Priesthood Authority with them. Some of teachings of Christ's church remained, but much of it was distorted or forgotten. But even if the remaining church members had a perfect knowledge of the ordinances of the church, they lacked the authority to perform those ordinances. The line of authority had been broken.

Yet, just as we can restore a cut rope by splicing it back together, God was able to remake the line of Priesthood Authority by having Peter, James, and John visit Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to bestow on them the Priesthood Authority they had received from Jesus. With this renewed authority, Joseph Smith reorganized the church, calling new elders and apostles in a line that remains unbroken to this day. Though the line of authority had been broken, it has been remade and is now as strong as it had ever been. I believe we even have the promise that the line would never be broken again, but I can't find any official revelation to confirm that. But even if it did break again, which I'm sure it won't, God could remake it again, so the Priesthood Authority will never be permanently lost.

This is really fortunate for us because this Priesthood Authority is essential to perform saving ordinances, such as Baptism. Without the Priesthood, the church couldn't grow or function, and when Christ's original Apostles were killed, it didn't. Without the authority to baptize new members, Jesus' original church eventually ceased to exist. Thankfully, about 200 years ago, He restored it. Now, with His authority, Christ's church grows and thrives like it never had before, and I myself hold part of the line of authority that had been broken and then remade.